In this age of technology are we really still using flooded lead acid batteries!?! Well yes, yes we are. But there’s good news, there are many promising new batteries that could solve all our problems. And none are more promising than the lithium-based batteries.
Lithium technology provides many improvements over the traditional lead acid. No watering, high charge currents, high capacity at low temperature, long cycle life, light weight, high efficiency, and high energy density. Brent Perry, co-founder of Corvis Energy, said, “barring the cost, lithium is the best battery technology available.”
I couldn’t agree more. And that’s the problem. The cost. Even if you factor in the high (unproven) life expectancy, lithium is still double to quadruple the total operating cost of lead acid. It’s why lithium is still not accepted in the greater industrial battery market. The value proposition is just not there, and may never be. We will just have to wait and see.
Fortunately, traditional lead acid provides safe and economical power, and offers environmental sustainability. And in the future, I see other technologies, such as Thin Plate Pure Lead, Lead Carbon or Nickel Zinc, as more likely candidates to steal industrial battery market share.
